Smart Alecks
by Punzie the Platypus
Summary: She tries to look at them like they're a play/They're nothing major, no big time news—so why does Katherine Pulitzer keep getting distracted by Jack Kelly? A poem analyzing parts of their argumentative and flirtatious relationship. K/J


**_Soli Deo gloria_**

 **DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Newsies.**

 **Yes, I got into Newsies 'cause it's a musical on Broadway from Disney, and it was only a matter of time before I got into it. I feel like Newsies is in the same category as Les Miserables and Hamilton—as in, I want to overthrow authority as I listen to the songs. XD**

 **So this style of poem is the kind of style I use when writing my own original poetry. (Mostly because I can't write meter or rhyme worth a damn.) Also it reminds me a bit of the way Katherine sings 'Watch What Happens'. I hope y'all like it! :-)**

* * *

Katherine tries to look at them like they're a play

They're nothing major, no big time news

Just some little vaudeville act

Full of fanciful flirts and tiptoe-dancing around each other

Nothing serious

Nothing to really look at

Just a little distraction of the moment

. . .

That's all it is, that's all they are

That's all she'll ever let them be

After all she's not encouraging this

Encouraging what? What is 'this' exactly?

It's not a relationship—oh man, no!

They're not a real thing!

They're a distraction, a detraction from their own personal agendas

She's got a story that can make her career and he's got a fight that can end all their careers

. . .

Really, why is she more serious about this than he is?

Definitely a distraction from the serious matters at hand

Poor guy—he's got a lot on his shoulders—all these kids lookin' up at him

Like he's their leader, or their dad, or big brother, or somethin'

No! She doesn't feel sorry for him! Ugh!

. . .

He's narcissistic and rude and flirtatious

And won't shut up!

Wow, he loves the sound of his own voice

—Well, she does too, the way she writes down everything

She likes her words and he likes his words and damn it, she likes his words just as much as he likes her words—

. . .

Would he get out of her brain!? Excuse me, no ruffians allowed

She's got a billion things to do, trying to prove herself

And she won't let some egotistical

Somehow loveable hero

Distract her from her mission, which is to save his whole union, by the way

—Wait, did she say 'loveable?'

No, she did not!

Not in the way it sounded or like she meant it—

Meant it?—No, no way!

Ah, stupid words, not sounding like she wanted them and needed them to!

. . .

All she meant was that all these kids rallied around this kid

Really, nothing more than a kid

A kid with some self-confidence but then some self-doubts that he let no one else see

A kid who was gonna go up against one of the kings of New York City

Joseph Pulitzer, really

The big boss, the man who keeps and ruins their careers with a single wave of his fingers

. . .

Her father

. . .

Yes! That's why she's gonna work with Jack Kelly

'Cause he has something to prove and so does she

And they can work together to prove something to her father

Her father! Of all people!

She was gonna make it in this newspaper business if he liked it or not

And Jack was gonna make it too

And together they'd prove it to him

. . .

And by together, she means with Jack with the rest of the Newsies

Duh! Not just by themselves together, 'cause that would be crazy

. . .

Yeah, really, just too crazy

Just them, together? Really, let's have some sense

She could never go out with someone like him

Street-smart and smart aleck and just a little too perceptive

The way he looked into her eyes made her feel uncomfortable

Not in an unsafe kind of way, more like he could look past her defenses

And see her for who she really was—desperate to make some art and do something big and not be thrust into the shadows

Really, vulnerable—she hated being seen as vulnerable

Even as she saw all that in his eyes too

. . .

It's easy to be annoyed and smart-aleck-y right back

Sarcasm and bantering and catching the catch and whirling it back right at him

It was like a game of baseball at Yankee Stadium

Move faster, catch the conversation and throw it back

Only for it to be hit instead of a miss and landing in your mitt

. . .

They were arguments and bantering

Oh my gosh! No! They were actually flirting

It was easier to do that instead of acknowledging what she really felt

As you can see, she really didn't like being vulnerable

So instead of being vulnerable, let's be witty and annoying!

And maybe he would get caught up in that instead of taking down her walls again

. . .

Damn it . . . maybe she wouldn't mind him taking down her walls again

'Cause if he did she could take down his walls, his big, loud-mouth, talking walls

And see that guy all those kids rallied to

'Cause he was there somewhere

She knew it, despite his being a smart aleck

That deep down, he and she were more alike than they'd ever admit

. . .

They were arguments and bantering

Yes now, she could tell

They were actually flirting

And she didn't want to admit it

But as the days went by and they spent more time together

Minute by passing minute

By each other's side

Looking into each other's eyes

The more she liked it

* * *

 **Jack and Katherine are really adorable together, though. :D**

 **Thanks for reading! Review?**


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